1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, is directed towards a fuel economy system for an internal combustion engine which, when applied to a motor vehicle, obviates the need for conventional carburetors, fuel pumps and gasoline tanks, and enables vastly improved gas mileage to be obtained.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art evidences many different approaches to the problem of increasing the efficiency of an internal combustion engine. Due to the rising price of gasoline, and the popularity of motor vehicles as a mode of transportation, much of the effort in this area is generally directed towards increasing gas mileage for motor vehicles. Along with increased gas mileage, much work has been done with a view towards reducing pollutant emissions from motor vehicles.
I am aware of the following United States patents which are generally directed towards systems for improving the efficiency and/or reducing the pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines:
______________________________________ Chapin 1,530,882 Crabtree et al 2,312,151 Hietrich et al 3,001,519 Hall 3,191,587 Wentworth 3,221,724 Walker 3,395,681 Holzappfel 3,633,533 Dwyre 3,713,429 Herpin 3,716,040 Gorman, Jr. 3,728,092 Alm et al 3,749,376 Hollis, Jr. 3,752,134 Buckton et al 3,759,234 Kihn 3,817,233 Shih 3,851,633 Burden, Sr. 3,854,463 Woolridge 3,874,353 Mondt 3,888,223 Brown 3,907,946 Lee, Jr. 3,911,881 Rose et al 3,931,801 Reimuller 3,945,352 Harpman 3,968,775 Naylor 4,003,356 Fortino 4,011,847 Leshner et al 4,015,569 Sommerville 4,015,570 ______________________________________
The Chapin U.S. Pat. No. (1,530,882) discloses a gasoline tank surrounded by a water jacket, the latter of which is included in a circulation system with the radiator of the automobile. The heated water in the circulation system causes the fuel in the gasoline tank to readily vaporize. Suction from the inlet manifold causes air to be drawn into the tank to bubble air through the gasoline to help form the desired vapor which is then drawn to the manifold for combustion.
The Buckton et al U.S. Pat. No. (3,759,234) advances a fuel system which provides supplementary vapors for an internal combustion engine by means of a canister that contains a bed of charcoal granules. The Wentworth and Hietrich et al U.S. Pat. Nos. (3,221,724 and 3,001,519) also teach vapor recovery systems which utilize filters of charcoal granules or the like.
The Dwyre U.S. Pat. No. (3,713,429) uses, in addition to the normal fuel tank and carburetor, an auxiliary tank having a chamber at the bottom thereof which is designed to receive coolant from the engine cooling system for producing gasoline vapors, while the Walker U.S. Pat. No. (3,395,681) discloses a fuel evaporator system which includes a gasoline tank intended to replace the normal gasoline tank, and which includes a fresh air conduit 22 for drawing air into the tank.
The Fortino U.S. Pat. No. (4,011,847) teaches a fuel supply system wherein the gasoline is vaporized primarily by atmospheric air which is released below the level of the gasoline, while the Crabtree et al U.S. Pat. No. (2,312,151) teaches a vaporization system which includes a gas and air inlet port located in a vaporizing chamber and which includes a set of baffles for effecting a mixture of the air and vapor within the tank. The Mondt U.S. Pat. No. (3,888,223) also discloses an evaporative control canister 48 for improving cold start operation and emissions, while Sommerville U.S. Pat. No. (4,015,570) teaches a liquid-fuel vaporizer which is intended to replace the conventional fuel pump and carburetor that is designed to mechanically change liquid gasoline to a vapor state.
While the foregoing patents evidence a proliferation of attempts to increase the efficiency and/or reduce pollutant emissions from internal combustion engines, no practical system has yet found its way to the marketplace.